NCJ Number
78424
Date Published
Unknown
Length
26 pages
Annotation
The following forensic science disciplines which are the focus of the Forensic Sciences Foundation, Inc., are briefly described: criminalistics, jurisprudence, odontology, pathology and biology, physical anthropology, psychiatry, questioned documents, and toxicology.
Abstract
The introductory section outlines the history and objectives of the Forensic Sciences Foundation. The Foundation was founded in 1969 as a nonprofit research organization devoted to advancing the study and practice of the application of science to the resolution of social and legal issues. In 1973, the Foundation affiliated with the American Academy of Forensic Sciences as the Academy's educational, scientific, and research arm. Following a brief general discussion of the role of the forensic scientist, criminalistics is described as the analysis, identification, and interpretation of physical evidence. In the discussion of pathology -- the study of disease -- its forensic application is narrowed to the investigation of death and injury occurring as a result of violence or occurring suddenly, unexpectedly, or in an unexplained manner. The consideration of jurisprudence notes that forensic scientists must not only be experts in the skills of their discipline but must also be skilled in communicating findings in legal proceedings, while conforming with laws governing collection, preservation, and admissibility of evidence. Other descriptions of disciplines are for toxicology -- the study of the harmful effects of external substances introduced into living systems; (2) questioned documents -- the examination of legal issues associated with documents by examining handwriting, typewriting, printing, ink, paper, etc.; (3) physical anthropology -- the identification of skeletal or otherwise unidentifiable remains; (4) odontology -- the branch of dentistry that deals with the examination of dental evidence and its evaluation and presentation in association with legal proceedings; and (5) forensic psychiatry -- the practice of psychiatry in its special medico-legal context. Applications of each discipline are described in case studies.